Cotton-gin



w. L. ELLIS.

Cotton-Gin.

No. 223,721. Patented Jan. 20, 1880.

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( ATTORNEY NJEYERS, "O OL OG PER ASH NGTO v D Q UNITED STATES PATENTOFFI E.

WASHINGTON L. ELLIS, OF PRATTVILLE, ALABAMA.

COTTON-GIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 223,721, dated January20, 1880.

Application filed June 7, 1879.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WASHINGTON L. ELLIs, ofPrattville, in the county of Autauga and State of Alabama, have inventeda new and valuable Improvement in Cotton-Grins; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description of theconstruction and operation of the same, reference being had to theannexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to theletters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a longitudinal sectionof my improved gin, Fig. 2 is a front view thereof with the apronremoved, and Fig. 3 is a detail view of the ribs or toes.

My invention relates to an improvement in cottongins. Heretoforecotton-gins have been provided with supplemental ribs secured at theirupper ends to the breast-board, thelower portion of the rib beingprovided with a central longitudinal rib. .This construction or form ofrib has been found defective, owing to the fact that the longitudinalribs on the face of the several supplemental ribs form chamberson eachside of the gin-saws, wherein the cotton will become matted or clogged,and thus impair the operation of the machine. Again, supplemental ribshave been formed with plain convex outer faces throughout their length;but such constructionof ribs has also been found defective, in that thecotton will clog or become matted at the angle formed between the upperportion of the rib and breast-board, to which it is attached.

The object of my invention is to so improve cotton-gins as to obviatethe difficulties and objectionable features heretofore met with, and tothat end my invention consists in the combination, with a saw-cylinder,main ginning-ribs, and a hinged breast-band, of a series of supplementalribs secured to the lower edge of the hinged breast-board, eachconstructed of a narrow rib portion having a plate formed on its upperend for its attachment to the breast-board, and a concavo-convex plateformed on its lower end, the concave side or face being made plain, andthe convex side located toward the rollbox, the upper and lower platesbeing separated sufficiently to form an intervening space between theiradjacent edges on opposite sides of the narrow are separated therefromby means of the saws pulling the cotton through the spaces between theplain concave faces of the lower plates on the ribs, and the seeds orbolts caused to fall into the seed-box and the clogging of the cottonprevented, while the cotton that is carried above the plain-facedconcave plates is allowed to pass through the spaces formed above theconcave-faced plates on each side of the narrow rib.

A designates the frame of the gin, affording bearings to mandrel g, onwhich are secured, in any desired manner, the ordinary gin-saws B,arranged at a proper distance apart and working in between the main ribs0. The saws 13 extend into a cotton-box, 1), consisting of a fixedrounded portion, a, try which the upbreast-board, b, hinged at its upperend to the main frame, the lower edge of the breast-board having anumber of supplemental ribs, R, secured thereto. The lower ends of thesupplemental ribs R may be adjusted toward or from the main ribs 0 bymeans of clamp-slides extending through the ends of the box D andbearing against the lower edge of the hinged breast-board b.

A drum, F, provided with radial teeth 2', is arranged in the frame sothat its teeth will work between the saws, said drum being actuated by abelt, b, passing around pulleys on the shaft f and pulley f, the latterattached to the drum shaft or spindle.

Exterior to the casing or cotton-box is an angular apron, Gr, conformingin shape to the solid ends of the box, and controlled, if desired, bysuitable screws inserted in the sides of said ends, said apron beingpivoted,hinged, journaled, or otherwise secured to the ends of the boxso as to swing. Its lower and free end is inclined inwardly and projectsdown nearly in line with the top of the drum, and is provided'with teethlocated between those. of the drum.

The cotton, as it is gathered from the field, passes down between thebox D and apron G through the passage 9, and, being seized by the perends of the ribs are attached, and of a,

rib, whereby the seed or bolts in the cotton spiked roller or drum,which revolves toward the saws, is carried within reach of the latter,and, being carried between the supplemental ribs R, is relieved ofhulls, sticks, and other foreign matter before reaching the ginningdevices, composed usually of the saws, ribs, and brush. The upperportion of each supplemental rib R is provided with a plate for securingthe rib to thebreast'board. From the lower end of said plate extends anarrow rib, on the lower portion of which is formed a concavo-convexplate, which is located adjacent to the side of the saw. As the hulls,sticks, or other foreign matters come in contact with the plain concaveface of the supplemental rib they are disengaged from the cotton, thelatter being pulled through the space between said plates, while theforeign matter falls to the fioor or onto any suitable receptacle.Between the adjacent edges of the plates formed on the upper and lowerportions of each one of said supplemental ribs is formed a space forpreventing the cotton from becoming clogged or matted at such point,which would be the effect were the supplemental rib made of equal widththroughout its length.

After the cotton has been disengaged from the coarse foreign substancesit is carried by the saws through the supplemental ribs into the box D,and, forming a roll inside of the same, the lint is drawn through themain ribs into the lint-room. The seed screened out by the main ribsroll around on the incline d at the lower inside portion of the hingedbreastboard 1) until thoroughly cleaned, when they pass over the pointsof the supplemental ribs R, and between them down on the main ribs, anddrop out of the machine.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is.

In a cotton-gin, the combination, with a sawcylinder, main ginning ribs,and a hinged breast-board, of a series of supplemetal ribs, R, securedto the lower edge of the hinged breast-board, each of said supplementalribs being formed of a narrow rib having a plate atits upper end foritsattacl'lment to the breastboard, the lower portion of the n rrow ribbeing provided with a concave-convex plate, the concave face being plainand the convex side located toward the roll-box, a space being formedbetween the adjacent edges of the upper and lower plat-es on oppositesides of the narrow rib, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my namein the presence of two witnesses.

WASHINGTON LAFAYETT ELLIS.

Witnesses:

O. J. HALL, JOHN R. JOHNSON.

